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Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) Pennant coralfish |
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photo by
Randall, J.E. |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes) | |||
| Max. size: | 25 cm TL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 2 - 178 m | |||
| Distribution: | Indo-Pacific: Persian/Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Tanzania to South Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, Mascarenes, St Brandon Shoals, Chagos, Maldives and Lakshadweep; elsewhere to Japan, Micronesia, Australia and French Polynesia. | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 11-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22-27; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 17-19. Description: Snout length 2.7-3.3 in HL; body depth 1.2-1.5 in SL (Ref. 90102). | |||
| Biology: | Inhabit deep, protected lagoons and channels, and the deeper parts of outer reef slopes. Juveniles are often solitary while adults occur in pairs (Ref. 1602, 48636). A planktivorous species that generally remains within a few meters of the reef. Juveniles may sometimes pick on parasites on the epidermis of other fish (Ref. 5503). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 October 2009 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||